Don’t Drive Drunk in Flowood, Mississippi

A City That Started in a Flood Plain

Most cities grow slowly over centuries. Flowood, Mississippi did it in a matter of decades, and against the odds. In 1951, in the middle of a sleepy flood plain along the banks of the Pearl River, a handful of people got together and talked about starting their own town. Flowood was incorporated on August 13, 1953, shortly after World War II, marking the formal beginning of its expansion as a suburb adjacent to Jackson.

The early years were rough. The 1979 Easter flood crested the Pearl River at over 43 feet, displacing thousands and causing damages exceeding $500 million. The Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District, formed after the 1961 and 1979 flood events, now implements levees, channels, and drainage systems to reduce future risk.

Growth picked up steadily from there. Annexations in 1976, 1985, and 1987 expanded the city's footprint by several square miles, enabling infrastructure improvements including upgraded police and fire departments. The Town of Flowood officially became the City of Flowood in 1990, and development accelerated from that point forward. One significant turning point came in 2009, when Flowood voters approved by a 75% to 25% margin being classified as a resort area, allowing liquor by the glass in restaurants and hotels. Today, Flowood has a population of 10,202 as of the 2020 census and is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Landmarks and Things to Do

Lakeland Drive is the hub of the city, filled with shops, restaurants, medical centers, and businesses that make Flowood a true destination. The city is also easy to reach, with easy access to Interstate 55, Interstate 20, and the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport.

When it comes to parks, Flowood punches well above its weight. Winner's Circle Park was awarded Best Park in Mississippi by Mississippi Magazine five years in a row, from 2013 through 2017, featuring a state-of-the-art playground, five lighted tennis courts, eight open-air pavilions, an amphitheater, and a half-mile walking track. Right nearby, Flowood Nature Park sits on 40 acres and features a one-mile paved walking trail that weaves through a mature hardwood forest with markers for native trees and plant species.

For golfers, the Refuge Golf Course is a genuine destination. The 18-hole course is carved out of 200 acres of wetlands and routed through stands of towering pines and centuries-old oaks. The accompanying Sheraton Flowood Refuge Hotel and Conference Center features multiple restaurants and bars, a swimming pool, a lazy river, 27,000 square feet of meeting space, a fitness center, and a spa.

Just along the Lakeland Drive corridor sits the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum. Open since 1996, the museum honors over 300 athletes, coaches, and influential sports icons with a connection to the Magnolia State, covering baseball, football, basketball, auto racing, boxing, golf, softball, tennis, and track and field. ESPN has named it one of the Top 10 Most Amazing Baseball Museums in America.

How Flowood Police Handle DUIs

The Flowood Police Department describes itself as a service-oriented, proactive department committed to providing quality service to citizens, merchants, shoppers, and visitors. The department operates from headquarters at 2101 Airport Road and maintains 47 sworn officers.

DUI enforcement is taken seriously here. Officers from the patrol and traffic divisions use radar during traffic stops and may ask drivers to take a breathalyzer test or field sobriety test. The Mississippi Highway Patrol and the Rankin County Sheriff's Office also conduct operations in Flowood, so a driver can be pulled over by any of these agencies. If arrested by the Flowood Police Department, the hearing will be conducted in Flowood Municipal Court, which schedules traffic hearings every Thursday at 9:00 a.m.

What Mississippi DUI Law Says

A driver with a BAC of 0.08% or more can be convicted of a per se DUI in Mississippi, meaning no other evidence of impairment is required. For a first offense, a conviction generally carries a fine between $250 and $1,000, a minimum of 48 hours in jail, and a 120-day license suspension. A second offense brings fines up to $1,500, a mandatory minimum of five days in jail, and a one-year license suspension. A third offense crosses into felony territory, with fines ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 and mandatory jail time of at least one year in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.

Mississippi also has an implied consent law. Drivers who refuse testing face immediate license seizure and a 90-day suspension for the refusal alone. For younger drivers, anyone under 21 can be charged with a DUI at a BAC of just 0.02% or higher.

One option worth knowing about is non-adjudication. For a first-offense DUI, an eligible driver may petition the court, and if both the judge and prosecutor approve, the court withholds a finding of guilt and assigns probation-like conditions. If those conditions are met, the case is dismissed without a conviction. However, any driver with a previous DUI conviction or a pending DUI charge is ineligible.

A City Still Growing